Bill Murray, curmudgeon? No way! The comedy legend may play a curmudgeon in his new movie "St. Vincent," but in real life Murray has cultivated a very different image, gliding through life with a Zen-like calm, popping up in the most random places.
And one thing's clear: When Murray talks, people listen. Here are five things worth remembering from his Tuesday chat on TODAY:
Love is worth waiting for (particularly if you're George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin)
Murray spoke at Clooney's big Venice wedding, and said, "These two ... it's kind of just miraculous that they found each other, because they're so ideal for each other. ... It's liberating, really is liberating to see them alive and in love."
Don't fear working with kids — fear their parents
"There's a great kid in this movie," he said of young Jaeden Lieberher, who plays Oliver in "St. Vincent." "But I came from a big family, so kids don't scare me. I went to grade school with kids. ... The one you've gotta watch out for is the mom, or the dad. ... The stage moms and dads, they'll kill you."
Shakespeare's comedies are hilarious
Doing a Shakespeare comedy is definitely on Murray's bucket list of roles. "I know that sounds funny, but I think they’re real funny and I never seen them done as funny as I think they are," he said. So where could he be offered such an opportunity? "Probably in a small town," he chuckled.
Curmudgeonship has its place
"Everyone knows a curmudgeon, or was raised by a curmudgeon or had a neighbor that was a curmudgeon," he said. "I'm kind of all of those [in the movie]." A clip from the film, of Murray singing a Bob Dylan song, was trending online Monday, and we think we love curmudgeons more than ever now.
Getting lost is all part of the game
"I get lost all the time," he said, including in his "St. Vincent" character, who reminded him of his grandfather. "Getting lost for me is actually something different. It's like coming back. When I get lost, I go inside and find myself again."
Earlier, Murray dropped by the Orange Room to tell us which of his many movies is closest to his heart (2005's "Broken Flowers"). Which one is yours?
"St. Vincent" opens in theaters on Oct. 24.